Welcome to Modern Residential Architecture!
Modern Residential Architecture
Modern residential architecture has been developing since the start of the 20th century. Many dramatic styles and visual devices are associated with these kinds of buildings. Simplification of form is one of the predominant elements in modern structures. With the advent ot the industrial revolution, many new building materials became available. Steel and glass are two of the main elements of many modern buildings. Some of the more notable architects of this period include Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Oscar Niemeyer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Frank Lloyd Wright has designed several important houses, and he has influenced many European architects as well. The Robie House, in Chicago, Illinois, showcases his organic style. His building style is largely influenced by the setting of the project.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is associated with the International style. He is one of a group of architects who fled Europe after World War II. One of his notable works is the Toronto Dominion Centre in Toronto, Canada. The Seagram Building, in New York, New York, is regarded as an excellent example of the functionalist aesthetic. It has very minimal, straight lines, and features walls of windows. Here a list of some more notable Modern Residential Architectural Styles
Eero Saarinen has designed many buildings that may be classified in the school of organic modernism. His TWA Terminal breaks with some of the formalist designs. This building features graceful curves, and transports the viewer along like an airplane gliding through the horizon.
Brutalism is a school which was born in opposition to the effusion of glass and steel which proliferated under Mies van der Rohe. Advocates of this school include Louis Kahn, Paul Rudolph, I.M. Pei and Marcel Breuer. Brutalism is derived from a term meaning raw concrete. Le Corbusier is the first architect to use this term, and it has since been used by many when talking of buildings which feature concrete and stone in their facade.
There are many different schools and architects who can be characterized as modernist. Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the first to begin to base his homes on the environment in which they are located. He pioneered many things such as the use of lines in the building’s appearance.
The Second Chicago School features sky scrapers that are tubular in design. Notable examples of these structures include the World Trade Center Towers. One of the pioneering architects is Fazlur Khan, who advocated the use of framed tubes. Structures built in this manner maximize floor space, and allow for more windows and natural lighting.
Exteriors of homes and buildings in the modernist style usually feature straight lines and lots of glass. There is a functional aspect to these buildings. One of the core philosophies of architects of this period is their use of clean lines and modern building materials.
Interior architecture in the many modernist styles makes use of open spaces and natural lighting. The many windows and new engineering techniques allow for the creation of greater interior space. This space can then be appreciated to its fullest, and the many windows allow the natural light to brighten the home.